Document Based Question

4^th-grade students

Directions: 

• Write a well-organized essay that includes an introduction with a thesis statement, several paragraphs explaining the thesis, and a conclusion.
• Analyze the documents and objects.
• Use evidence from the documents to support your conclusion.
• Include specific related outside information.

Historical Context:

Colonial cities such as Boston were crowded and many buildings were made of wood.

Image 13:

Possibly Henry Dawkins.
American
Certificate of the Hand-in-Hand Fire Company, 1753 (detail)
Engraving

I.N. Phelps Stokes Collection
Miriam and Ira D. Wallach Division of Art, Prints and Photographs
The New York Public Library Astor, Lenox and Tilden Foundations

Image 14:

J. Fenno
American
Fire Bucket, 1799
Leather

Courtesy of the Bostonian Society/Old State House

Image #15

Exterior photo of Paul Revere's home in Boston, MA

Courtesy of the Paul Revere Memorial Association

Image #16

Paul Revere after Christian Remick
Landing of the Troops in Boston Harbor, 1770 Engraving

 

Image #17

Interior photo of the kitchen in Paul Revere House

Courtesy of the Paul Revere Memorial Association

Image #18

John Neagle
American
Pat Lyon at the Forge, 1826-1827
Oil on canvas

Museum of Fine Arts, Boston

By using the documents, as well as your knowledge of how people lived during colonial times answer the following questions in a well-structured essay.

Question:

• Why were fires a big problem for cities like Boston? 
• How did communities work together to put out fires? 
• What kinds of technology did they use to fight fires?